Cover Photo: Molani and El Palmar community members planting Janchicoco palm seeds. Guido Saldaña, Armonía.
Members of the Molani and El Palmar community in the El Palmar Protected Area, located in the municipality of Presto (Chuquisaca), planted more than 3000 Janchicoco palm seeds (Parajubaea torallyi), a Bolivian endemic tree species. The activity took place between December 15 and 17 with the aim of restoring areas affected by forest fires.
The campaign was launched on December 12 in the city of Sucre, and is a collaboration between the Molani and El Palmar community, El Palmar Natural Integrated Management Area (ANMI), El Palmar Management Committee, Presto Municipality, and Asociación Armonía. The initiative was financially supported by BIOPARC, Cougar Mountain Zoo, and The Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.
“El Palmar Protected Area hosts an impressive biodiversity of flora and fauna, including the critically endangered Red-fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys), which usually nests in rocky cliffs but only in El Palmar nests in the trunks of the endemic and endangered Janchicoco palm tree . Also present are the Spectacled Bear, locally called Jucumari (Tremactos ornatus) and the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus). These species face varying degrees of threats and inhabit one of the most well-preserved Janchicoco palm forests in our country,” highlighted Guido Saldaña, coordinator of the Red-fronted Macaw Program at Armonía.
The palm’s fruits are the food source for the Spectacled Bear. Additionally, the tree is one of the main sources of food and economic e for local community families. The Janchicoco fruits are used for various food purposes , and its leaves provide fiber for t different handicraft products.
Saldaña reported that 50 nest boxes have been installed on Janchicoco palm trunks to support the reproduction of the Red-fronted Macaw. This initiative aims to increase the availability of nesting sites for the Red-fronted Macaw. Conservation efforts are carried out in direct coordination with the El Palmar Protected Area.
The planted seeds are expected to take about 8 to 10 months to germinate, and the planted areas will be protected with stone fences, a natural material in the area. Park rangers and community members will follow a pre-developed monitoring protocol to evaluate the progress of tree growth.
By November 2024, the goal is to restore approximately 20 hectares within the Protected Area through direct sowing of Janchicoco seeds. We aim to carry out this activity annually and become a habit for the communities in coordination with local authorities and institutions working towards conservation and sustainable development.
About the Red-fronted Macaw
In 2021, Armonía conducted a Red-fronted Macaw population census in which we found approximately 160 nests throughout the species distribution. This Bolivian endemic parrot is only found at four river basins in inter-Andean Dry Valleys in the heart of Bolivia: Caine, Mizque, Río Grande, and Pilcomayo. It is estimated that the population consists of approximately 1,200 individuals.
Asociación Armonía has been working on Red-fronted Macaw conservation for over 15 years. One of the success stories was the creation of a bird observation lodge located at the Red-fronted Macaw Community Reserve (Cochabamba), where the local communities of San Carlos, Perereta, and Amaya manage tourism. The reserve protects the world’s most important Red-fronted Macaw breeding cliff. The revenue generated from tourism is divided among the three communities and contributes to the sustainability and protection of the area.